Fans response helped Champ Car return

Loyal fans of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and Champ Car World Series have lobbied long and hard for the return of Champ Car to the "dry lake" and turned out to the series' Spring Training event in March to show their support. It didn't fall on deaf ears and the Champ Cars will be running here again in 2008 both for Spring Training in March and either a May or September race date.

This will be the 23rd Champ Car race at Laguna Seca, 22 consecutive from 1983 to 2004.

If the May date is agreed to by all, it would be as part of a doubleheader with the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series. That date, along with the rest of the season schedule, will be announced Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Laguna Seca.

Throughout its history, CART, then the Champ Car World Series, has brought many of the world's elite race car drivers to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Race files are replete with names such as Mario Andretti (who many consider the greatest American racer of all time), Rahal (who won four consecutive CART races here from 1984-1987), four-time Indy 500 winner Rick Mears, Danny Sullivan, Michael Andretti, Jimmy Vasser (who grew up in Morgan Hill and wrapped up his 1996 CART championship at Laguna Seca), 2003 Champ Car champion Paul Tracy, Jacques Villeneuve, Nigel Mansell, Al Unser Sr. and Jr. and Sebastien Bourdais, who is rewriting Champ Car record books as he pursues his fourth consecutive series title this season before going to Europe to race in Formula One.

The site and sound of the 750-horsepower, turbo-charged Cosworth engines mounted in this year's brand new DP01 chassis and shod with Bridgestone tires is an amazing experience, especially as the cars soar through the world famous Corkscrew, Laguna Seca's signature Turn 8 & 8A,

The Corkscrew was the site of perhaps the greatest motorsports pass of all-time when Alex Zanardi actually went off road in his Champ Car on the last lap to pass Bryan Herta and steal the victory in the 1996 race. That move is known throughout motorsports as simply "The Pass."

"This (2008 race at Laguna Seca) will be one I'd love to be a fan and just sit in the Corkscrew and watch," Champ Car World Series President and CEO Steve Johnson told me last week. "We need to put on the best event we can with the intention of working out a multiple-year agreement."

Raceway CEO/General Manager Gill Campbell said the focus needs to be solely on 2008 at this point. "Beyond that depends on a lot of factors," she said. "We have to focus on the short-term now."

She further said that it is her desire to help make the 2008 event an unforgettable experience for everybody. And, after that, "We can put together a business plan for the future that makes sense to everyone."

Sad news |

It is with a heavy heart that I write about the death of the daughter of my good friend and radio show partner Tony Karis. Rachel Karis, 19, died in a motorcycle accident last week. There will be a memorial service Sept. 23 at 2 p.m. at Santa Crux Bible Church, 440 Frederick St. in Santa Cruz.